


Drinking and Dialing

by hailey_writes



Category: Teenage Bounty Hunters (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Drunk Dialing, F/F, Love Confessions, Underage Drinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-18 13:47:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29369484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hailey_writes/pseuds/hailey_writes
Summary: After the lock-in, April is so distraught and regretful that she develops insomnia. One night as she's lying awake in bed, she receives an interesting message from none other than the girl whose heart she shattered.
Relationships: April Stevens/Sterling Wesley
Comments: 16
Kudos: 99





	Drinking and Dialing

**Author's Note:**

> I had one more little soft April/angsty thing to get out of my system before I start working on a longer story with plenty of gloriously mean April.

April sighed and rolled over to check the clock on her nightstand: 2:13 a.m. Another sleepless night. They had become increasingly more common ever since the night of the school lock-in, or as she tended to think of it, the worst night of her life. 

Everything good in her life had fallen apart in just a matter of hours, and it was all because of John _._ Stupid fucking John. After the way he had beaten that woman and bought his way out of prison, he didn’t deserve the title of “Dad” anymore. It was clear that he didn’t care about their family. All those _Star Wars_ marathons and lake house weekends had meant nothing. She should’ve known better. After all, on some level April had always known the father-daughter relationship would have never withstood her eventual coming out.

Even though she no longer cared about John’s approval, she still had to walk a very _straight_ line. Having someone in the house with a known violent streak was terrifying enough, but it was a thousand times worse when combined with his raging homophobia. If John was willing to beat the prostitute he’d cheated on his wife with, there was certainly nothing stopping him from beating his gay daughter. Or her girlfriend. April still felt knots in her stomach every time she remembered how John had asked about Sterling Wesley no more than ten minutes after returning home. 

Which is why April had been given no choice but to mercilessly stomp all over Sterling’s heart.

There was no way they could have the public relationship Sterling craved. She knew breaking up was the only way they would both be safe, but it still hurt worse than the time Adele Meisner moved away to Arizona. Weeks passed without speaking to Sterling, and even her expert compartmentalization skills hadn’t helped much. April felt like there was a gaping hole in her heart. All she had wanted for years was a girlfriend, but thanks to John, it ended as quickly as it had begun.

Sometimes she wondered how long it would be before she could experience that level of happiness again. With John back home, even a secret relationship was as dangerous as a game of Russian roulette. She knew she was looking at another year and a half before she started college, but that was the bare minimum. Leaving home didn’t mean she would easily find a girlfriend. It wasn’t as if they just fell from the sky. The percentage of girls who liked other girls was small, and once she considered all of the other factors that went into forming a successful relationship, finding someone seemed a little bit impossible.

What if _years_ passed before she found another Sterling?

April resigned herself to insomnia as violent sobs racked her small body. This always happened whenever she thought about Sterling. At least it was the weekend, so she wouldn’t have to be half-asleep at school.

The sole silver lining of the situation—the only good thing to happen to her since the lock-in— was that she had finally been able to come out to her friends, Ezekiel and Hannah B. Of course, it hadn’t been part of her original plan at all, but they noticed her general air of malaise following the lock-in. After she’d spent a week or so being meaner than usual, the two other members of the Holy Trinity confronted her during one of their parking lot hangouts. All it took was one classic Ezekiel quip about “taking a level in cattiness” ever since Sterling Wesley had been missing from school for April to break down in a moment of weakness. April hadn’t been _that_ worried about Ezekiel’s reaction, as it was an open secret that he was gay himself. Hannah B. was the bigger problem because she was a girl, and there was always the possibility that she wouldn't want to be close anymore. Much to her surprise, Hannah B. had wasted no time wrapping her up in a tight, comforting hug while she cried hot tears of heartbreak over the girl she’d spent the past six years hating. 

It felt good to have at least two people’s support. Crying with friends was marginally better than crying alone. Unfortunately, it was past 2 a.m., so April would have to cry alone tonight. She didn’t even have Sgt. Bilko, who had been too wrapped up in his feline nocturnal adventures to join her for bed. April wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve and reached for her phone. 

The first thing she checked was, of course, Instagram. Sterling’s Instagram, to be exact. Sterling had unfollowed her, but she wasn’t blocked yet, so she could still torture herself. The most recent photo was of the Wesleys’ adorable dog, Chloe, rolling on the floor with her tongue out. Sterling had captioned it, “Worm-free, baby!” followed by a string of emojis. April couldn’t suppress a sad smile through her tears.

The next most recent photo was of Sterling and Blair at mini-golf. Then, there were several weeks without any posts. April had heard all the rumors about the Wesleys that week following the lock-in, when Sterling and Blair had been absent from school. She didn’t know whether or not they were true, but something major had obviously happened for the twins to disappear from both school and social media.

The third post was a glamor shot of the Solomon’s Temple project they had worked on together. Memories from that wonderful weekend flooded April’s mind. She thought about how sweet, goofy Sterling had tried to flirt with her using the story of Naomi and Ruth from the Bible and needed to wipe her eyes again. It hurt to breathe.

While April was busy wallowing in self-pity, a call notification popped up on her screen. She dropped her phone when she read the contact name: Sterling Wesley. What the hell was Sterling doing calling her at all, let alone after 2 a.m.? She didn’t dare answer. It was probably a mistake. That was the only explanation that made any sense.

Another few minutes passed before April could muster up the courage to retrieve her phone from its spot several inches away on top of the blankets. Sterling had left a voicemail, implying that her call was, in fact, intentional. With a shaky hand, April pressed play.

**New Voicemail: Sterling Wesley (2:21 a.m.)**

_Hey, April, what’s up? I know you totally hate me, but I just wanted to tell you that you are, um, you are so pretty. I love your hair and and and your sparkly eyes, and you smell like happy. I miss when you used to— used to put your mouth, like, on my mouth. Do you remember that too? Sometimes I still kinda wish you would put your mouth, um… Shut up, Blair! Stop being so annoying. Not you, April, I mean Blair with her hairdryer and Old Man Winslow’s garden gnome. Oh, shoot, the garden gnome! I gotta go. As the old saying goes, bye. Oh, and stay pretty, okay? I still love ya! Byeee._

The voicemail concluded with a loud, drawn-out smooching sound. That was the way April and Sterling used to end all their calls when they were together. April couldn’t wrap her brain around what she had just heard. She played the message again, wondering if this was all a dream. Her wounded heart plunged deep into her stomach at “I know you totally hate me,” but butterflies lifted it up again at “you are so pretty.”

Sterling still thought she was pretty and missed their backseat make-out sessions. And she… loved her? “Still” loved her? They had never even exchanged those words! April wasn’t sure yet whether she loved Sterling, but she supposed it was possible. What she felt for her former nemesis was far more intense than anything else she had ever experienced. Of course, she couldn’t do anything about it because of John, but if she was being honest with herself, maybe it really was there. 

She sat up in bed. If she was an insomniac before, there was no way she’d be getting any sleep after that message. Clearly, Sterling was intoxicated. At least she was with Blair, and Mr. Winslow was their neighbor, so they probably hadn’t gone any farther than his backyard garden. She didn’t even want to imagine what Blair was doing with that poor, tacky gnome. 

What April did want to imagine, perhaps against her better judgment, was where Sterling was going to say she wanted her to put her mouth before Blair and the gnome so rudely interrupted. A deep blush crept across her cheeks and up to her ears. At least she didn’t feel like crying anymore.

April glanced over at her phone and made sure one more time that she hadn’t hallucinated the voicemail. She had the thought that maybe she should go over to the Wesleys’ at a decent hour and check on Sterling. If the way Sterling slurred her words on that message was any indication, she was going to have one hell of a hangover. 

A tsunami of anxiety hit April at the thought of showing up at the Wesleys’ house. She doubted she would even be welcome. But at the same time, this seemed like her only chance to talk to Sterling. Maybe she should risk it. 

“I still love ya!” wouldn’t stop echoing in April’s head. The words repeated themselves so many times in her mind that Sterling’s voice no longer sounded distinct. April slumped forward and put her head in her hands. She had treated the girl who _loved her_ worse than shit.

April made up her mind. She was going to risk it. A real apology was only polite, after all.

***

April waited until close to noon, then told her mother and John that she was going to Hannah B.’s house to work on a project for History class. When academics were involved, they never questioned her whereabouts. She sent Hannah B. a quick message so she would know to cover for her if it came to that, then set out to accomplish her mission.

She didn’t have any personal experience with hangovers, as she would never be so foolish as to get drunk enough to have one, but her research told her to pick up some Gatorade. After a quick stop at a convenience store, she headed off to Sterling’s house. April knew Sterling liked the blue kind, but she wasn’t too sure about Blair, so she got a variety. As much as she would’ve preferred not to interact with the brunette twin, ignoring Blair would do her no favors with Sterling. 

The drive to the Wesleys’ house felt longer than she remembered. April gripped the steering wheel with such force that the color drained from her knuckles. What would she even say to Sterling? A simple “sorry” probably wouldn’t cut it when she wouldn’t even sit behind her in Spanish class anymore.

Her heart leapt into her throat when her destination came into view. All April could think about was Sterling slamming the door in her face, or throwing up on her, or letting Blair and her trusty lacrosse stick deal with her. Drunk Sterling had said that she loved her, but there was no guarantee that Hungover Sterling would remember. She halfway considered just turning around and going home.

No. She couldn’t. She was April Stevens, and when April Stevens put her mind to something, she didn’t back down. 

April pulled into the driveway and stuffed the Gatorades in her bag. Upon exiting her car, she noticed a plastic gnome with its face melted off in the yard. The latter half of Sterling’s voicemail suddenly made a lot more sense. She also noted that Mr. and Mrs. Wesley’s car wasn’t home.

After taking a deep breath, April rang the doorbell. Chloe went into a barking frenzy. An uncomfortable amount of time passed before she heard footsteps. At long last, the door opened, and she found herself face-to-face with the girl whose heart she’d shattered.

Sterling frowned. “April? What are you doing here?”

April’s eyes traveled up and down Sterling’s disheveled form. Sterling’s hair was up in a messy ponytail, and she wore mismatched pajamas— solid pink on top, Christmas trees on bottom. Her normally bright baby blue eyes looked cloudy and bloodshot. She was, without a doubt, hungover, and April was overcome with the urge to take care of her.

“You called me during the night,” explained April. “You sounded heavily inebriated. Like, _heavily._ So, I thought I would bring you some Gatorade in case you were hungover.”

“Thank you, but I’m not your problem anymore. You made that very clear at the lock-in.”

April’s face fell. Sterling had no memory of what she’d said in the voicemail. She looked down at the crisp white sneakers on her feet and shuffled uncomfortably. 

“I’m also here to apologize for.... Well, for everything.”

“I don’t feel like doing this right now,” sighed Sterling.

April mentally kicked herself for devising such a stupid plan. Of course Sterling wouldn’t want to talk. At least the encounter had so far gone ever-so-slightly better than she had feared. Humiliated, she turned to leave and made it about ten steps before Sterling called out to her.

“April, wait!”

She looked back at Sterling and hoped the other girl wouldn’t notice the way her lip had begun to quiver.

“I really want the Gatorade, so you can come in,” Sterling continued.

April flashed a small smile and followed Sterling inside. Chloe jumped up to greet her. She happily scratched the dog’s fluffy ears on their way to the kitchen. Dogs were yet another beautiful thing that John hated, so she had never gotten to have one of her own. It had taken years of negotiation just to get Sgt. Bilko.

Once they reached the kitchen, April took the Gatorades out of her bag and set them down on the counter. She had two blues, a red, and an orange. April pushed one of the blue ones towards Sterling.

“You remembered blue is my favorite flavor,” gasped Sterling.

“Of course I did. I also brought extras in case Blair wanted some, but I didn’t know what she likes.”

Sterling raised an eyebrow. “You brought extras for _Blair?”_

“I’m trying to extend an olive branch here, Sterling.”

“She likes the red, so you did well.”

Sterling opened her bottle of Gatorade and took a long sip. She looked less sickly afterwards. April felt glad that she had helped, even just a little.

The moment didn’t last long, though. April heard another set of footsteps approaching the kitchen. Blair appeared in the doorway, looking just as disheveled as her sister. Sheer disgust immediately spread across Blair’s face.

“Ew, what the fuck!?” cried Blair. “Get out, Stevens! Nobody wants you here!”

That was the reaction April had expected from both twins, but she couldn’t deny that it stung a little. Not that she cared what Blair thought. The implication that Sterling didn’t want her around either hurt, though. 

“Blair, it’s okay. I let her in. Also, language.”

Blair scrunched up her face. “Why?”

“I’m right here. I can hear everything you say,” said April with an eye roll.

“I drunk-dialed her last night, and she got concerned,” explained Sterling. “Don’t be so loud, Blair. She brought you a red Gatorade.”

“If I didn’t have this hangover, I’d kick her ass,” growled Blair as she swiped the sugary red drink off the counter and carefully examined it as if she thought it might be poisoned. “Her face is going to make me puke again.”

April bit her tongue the way she did whenever John said something ignorant. Now was not the time to get into a battle of insults with Blair. Instead, she plastered on a fake smile.

“Have either of you eaten anything today?” she inquired.

“Ugh, no,” groaned Sterling. “I can’t imagine cooking right now.”

“Why don’t I make you some eggs and toast? I suppose Blair can have some too.”

“I’m not eating anything _you_ make!” hissed Blair.

“Blair, please, I said don’t be so loud,” Sterling begged. She covered her ears with her hands. “Yes, April, I think I would eat that.”

Blair took her Gatorade and stormed off, leaving the ex-girlfriends alone in the kitchen. A thick tension hung in the air. This was not part of the plan April had imagined, but now she was committed. She felt awkward as she opened up the refrigerator to look for a carton of eggs. The silence was becoming unbearable. 

“What was the occasion?” she asked, deciding to just go with the first thing that popped into her head.

“Oh, Blair and I had the house to ourselves, so we were just… drowning our sorrows. She got dumped too on the night of the lock-in.”

The sadness in Sterling’s voice tugged at April’s heart. She did, however, take a sick sense of comfort in knowing that Sterling was still just as upset about the breakup as she was.

“That’s not a very healthy way of dealing with your emotions,” remarked April.

“Says the queen of compartmentalization.”

Ouch.

“I’ll have you know that I’m still dealing with a lot of sorrows of my own,” she replied as she cracked several eggs into a pan. 

“I didn’t realize that. You seem just like your old self.”

“Why would I _show_ my pain?”

April reached for the bread to make toast while she waited for the eggs to cook. Looking at Sterling was harder than she had thought it would be. She couldn’t deny that the attraction was still there, even with Sterling in her current messy state. April ached to kiss her.

“Umm, because you’re not a robot?”

“I can’t risk people asking me what’s wrong,” she sighed. “Especially now that John is back home, and Team Stevens is supposed to be a happy family again.”

“Oh, I guess that’s true. Do you have anyone you can talk to at all, though?”

“Ezekiel and Hannah B. I told them both everything the week after the lock-in.”

“You told them? April, that’s wonderful!” The usual peppiness of Sterling’s voice had returned in full force, if only for a moment. “I’m so proud of you.”

April didn’t know what to say to that, so she just plated half of the food and offered it to Sterling. “Here. I made enough so your sister can have some too if she changes her barely functional mind.”

She could’ve sworn she saw a flash of despair on Sterling’s face at the phrase “your sister,” suggesting that at least some of the wild rumors were true, but bringing any of that up would only make things even more awkward. April took a seat next to Sterling and wondered how she would put her thoughts into words. Just being next to Sterling again was so lovely that it caught her off guard. This was the closest they had been since that horrible night. 

“Yeah, I needed food. Thank you,” said Sterling between bites of toast.

“Of course.” April couldn’t help but smile, but she knew she needed to be serious. The words all came spilling out at once. “Sterling, I want to apologize for my behavior at the lock-in. John had just come home from prison that afternoon, and I was afraid for my own safety and for yours. He loathes the gays, and we all know he’s not above beating a woman. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if he hurt you. I know I should have talked to you before the lock-in. I’ve been avoiding you for weeks because I’m so ashamed. I’m sorry.”

Sterling put down her fork and turned to make eye contact with April, whose heart was beating a thousand miles a minute. April couldn’t believe she had really just put it all out there. She felt as if a boulder had been lifted off her chest.

“It’s okay.” Sterling reached over and gave April’s arm a gentle squeeze. “I mean, what happened wasn’t okay, but I understand why you did it.”

April’s arm tingled where Sterling touched it. Skin-to-skin contact was a luxury she had been sure she’d never have with Sterling again. Her ears turned red.

“I had—still have, if I’m being honest—incredibly intense feelings for you, but I can’t give you the public relationship you need. It can’t happen as long as I’m forced to live under John’s roof. I hope you understand.”

“April.”

April glanced down at Sterling’s hand, which was still resting on her arm. She couldn’t bring herself to meet her eyes. 

“Do you remember what you said to me when you called?” April continued.

“Not exactly,” said Sterling with apprehension in her voice.

“I’ll spare you the embarrassment of playing the voicemail. First, you told me I’m pretty. Then, you told me that you miss when I used to, in your words, put my mouth on your mouth. Most interestingly, you ended the call by telling me that you still loved me.”

Sterling withdrew her hand immediately and covered her face. “Oh, gosh. I really said all that?”

“Yes, you did. Sterl, is that last part true? We’ve never even said that to each other before.”

Neither girl said anything for a moment. Feeling awkward, April folded her own hands in her lap and shifted a couple of inches away from Sterling. She finally managed to force herself to look at the other girl, only to find Sterling’s eyes brimming with tears.

“Yeah,” Sterling said after an eternity of silence. “Yeah, April, I love you. It’s so much more… explosive than it was with Luke. You’re just the right amount of ‘morphous’ for me. I love your lips and your hair and your smell and your intensity. I love watching you get competitive and crush all your debate opponents. And I super love the fact that even though we’re broken up, you brought me Gatorade for my hangover and cooked me breakfast just because I drunk dialed you."

This was somehow more shocking than the message itself had been. April could hardly believe what she was hearing. She had longed to hear a girl say this to her for years, and now that it was finally happening, it felt surreal. 

“It _sucks_ that we can’t be together. I know your dad is a huge threat, but you’re the one I want,” Sterling continued as she started to sob.

Unable to help herself, April leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to Sterling’s lips. She had missed getting to do that so much, she didn’t even care that Sterling’s mouth tasted like eggs and blue Gatorade. Her hand found Sterling’s cheek, and she was immediately transported back to their first date at the arcade. She gently wiped away a stray tear with her thumb.

“I think I feel the same way,” she said once she broke the kiss. “I still haven’t stopped thinking about you, but what I said stands. No matter how much I love you, I can’t broadcast our relationship right now. It’s not safe.”

“I know. I shouldn’t have pushed so hard for you to come out to everyone. I was caught up in my feelings.” Sterling took the paper towel she had been using as a napkin and dried her eyes. “Just the fact that you came out to your friends would be enough for me right now.”

“Are you saying you would give me a second chance?”

“Yes, if you’d be up for having a relationship.”

April’s heart fluttered. She wanted that more than anything, but it was risky. Any lapse in caution could lead to John finding out about the relationship, and the consequences of that would be disastrous. But the little glimmer of hope in Sterling’s teary eyes made her want to try. Shutting down her very real and intense feelings would be letting John win.

“I would, but we need to be careful. We’ll have to start off as casual acquaintances at school.”

Sterling’s face lit up. She threw her arms around April and hugged her tightly. Elated, April hugged back. Her heart felt whole again when Sterling kissed her forehead. 

“Can I ask Blair for my seat back in Spanish class as a start?” asked Sterling.

“Please do. She flicks paper balls at me constantly.”

Sterling grinned. “I’ll talk to her.” 

April put her hand over Sterling’s and intertwined their fingers. She couldn’t even begin to describe how good it felt to hold her hand again. 

“Do you have anywhere to be?” asked Sterling.

“No, I told my mom I’m working on a project with Hannah B. I have a couple hours at least.”

“I was thinking about going back to bed for a little while. Would you like to join? Oh gosh, that didn’t sound right. Nothing sexy!” she added hastily. “Just to cuddle, I mean. I should have asked if you would like to cuddle.”

April nodded and tried not to laugh at Sterling’s awkwardness. “I would love that.”

Sterling put her plate in the sink and led April upstairs with the speed of someone unencumbered by a hangover. Of course, April had hoped the first time she found herself alone with Sterling in a bed would have been under slightly different circumstances, but nothing made her happier than the thought of getting to cuddle with the girl she thought she’d never touch again.

“I hope I don’t hear two sets of footsteps!” yelled Blair. 

“Be quiet, Blair!” Sterling yelled back. “There’s food downstairs if you want it.”

Sterling closed the door behind herself, then climbed into bed and motioned for April to join. April happily did so. As soon as she settled into the soft blankets, she felt Sterling’s arm wrap around her waist. She sighed contentedly. Nothing had ever felt so cozy. 

“This is wonderful,” April remarked. 

“I know.”

For the first time in weeks, April felt relaxed. She cuddled closer to Sterling, leaving no space between their bodies, and reveled in the other girl’s warmth. April never could have imagined that this visit would go as well as it did. She had honestly thought Sterling would just slam the door in her face. And yet here they were, under the blankets together. 

The sound of Sterling’s gentle breathing as she drifted off to sleep made April’s eyelids grow heavy. It had been far too long since she had gotten a full night. Suddenly, a nap in the middle of the day seemed like a good idea as long as Sterling was with her. She let sleep overtake her, eager to dream about their renewed relationship and everything that would come next. 


End file.
